In today's technology, more and more electronic and electrical equipment is equipped with a plurality of control shafts arranged in a close group. In many instances, it is necessary to preset a particular group of dial settings and transfer it to another machine. In other instances, it is necessary to establish a group of settings which has to be interchanged with a second or third group of settings, which three occupy 95 percent of the machines time. Consequently, it is desirable to provide a dial setting device which will eliminate or minimize the time and labor involved in changing settings on one machine or or transferring the settings of one machine to another.
According to the prior art, Ost, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,240,522, Herbst, in 2,401,357 and Egger, in 3,916,721, disclosed mechanisms for setting stops on indicating dials. Riebe, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,434,369, discloses a friction clutch and a detent mechanism on the indicator drive to orient the driving member relative to the indicating members. Hickman discloses a device for transferring dial settings in U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,692 and utilizes a turn counter and stop mechanism. Twee, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,693, discloses a C-shaped clamp utilizing a lock spring and a manual set. Orozco, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,870, discloses a mechanism for advancing a shaft exactly to a desired angular position. Insofar, however, as applicant is aware, there has not been disclosed a mechanism whereby a complete set of dial settings can be easily and quickly taken from a group of control shafts, or in which a preset group of dial settings can be quickly transferred to a control shaft group to set the entire group in a desired configuration.